Board members were concerned that a letter would suggest APS encourages parents to opt their kids out of exams.
Superintendent Winston Brooks wouldn't offer an opinion and a motion to mail the letters failed in a 5 to 2 vote.

Since the beginning of the school year, teachers in the Los Alamos Public Schools system and their support staff have been changes to the classroom NMPED has mandated through initiatives like “NMTeach” and “Common Core.” NMTeach basically focuses on teacher performance and Common Core is a nationally-based program designed to ensure New Mexico’s school children are learning math and English at a level consistent with students across the nation.

Shortly after the changes were implemented, the special panel that wrote the letter, the “Study Group for Teacher Concerns,” has been hard at work analyzing the directives and coming up with alternatives.

Hope Christian has been taking part in special safety training given by the Albuquerque Police Department. They students, teachers and staff have been taught how to run, hide and, if necessary, fight back.

"I feel like I'm able to just pounce on him and get the gun and actually be able to beat him," sixth-grader Tristan Copeland said, demonstrating some of the techniques they've been taught.

The tussle has been waged by protestors who question the ability of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to transfer water rights from recently-acquired land to use in well fields at Lake Arthur and Seven Rivers. The matter will be settled by Andy Core, the acting judge, who will submit a recommendation to state engineer Scott Verhines. Verhines ultimately has final authority on the matter and there is no deadline for his decision.

The ISC purchased land across Southeastern New Mexico back in 2010 and shortly after proposed to divert the water in order to help local farmers combat water shortage.

The court also ruled that there is no evidence that Albuquerque’s use of Rio Grande water is harming downstream users or New Mexico’s obligations to deliver water to Texas under the Rio Grande Compact.

The National Journal look at Martinez political consultant McCleskey continues to be a big talking point in New Mexico politics. Sherry Robinson, a frequent critic of Martinez, wrote a column about McCleskey's role.

And The Line on New Mexico In Focus will discuss the column and McCleskey's role this Friday.

In an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, TECO said that it, New Mexico Gas Co., New Mexico Gas parent Continental Energy Systems LLC, the staff of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission and the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office all agreed to an extension of proceedings in TECO’s application to the PRC to buy New Mexico Gas.

It is “a minor change in schedule to give the parties more time,” said Cherie Jacobs, a spokesperson for TECO.

KUNM's Call-In Show is taking a look at a topic near and dear to my heart -- the growth of Rio Rancho. I grew up in Rio Rancho and saw it undergo massive growth. The show is on KUNM (89.9 on your FM dial or at kunm.org on your computer) at 8:00 today.

A state pregnancy risk assessment conducted in 2011 found that one in four pregnant women does not receive prenatal care during her first trimester.

The biggest reasons women in New Mexico don’t get prenatal care, according to the survey, is that they can’t get appointments, they don’t know they’re pregnant, they don’t have enough money or they don’t receive a Medicaid card to pay for the services in time.

Charles Gomez's attorney, Ryan Villa, admits his client did not follow the law during a traffic stop in 2011 where he ran from police. Gomez did eventually give up.

"He said 'I give up,' put his hands on his head, laid down on the ground and was told, 'You'll give up when we tell you you give up,'" Villa said. "And the next he knew he was kicked in the face and lost consciousness."

"This was a horrifying situation, Erika was assaulted by her high ranking employer who demanded sex ... she complained to high level Laboratory officials who did nothing to help her, instead they rewarded the perpetrator by allowing him to retire with full benefits," Day told the Los Alamos Daily Post today. "Mr. Stanford supervised both Erika and her husband William and he knew William was aware of what he was doing and he didn't care. His behavior was that of a pig and the Lab took no action to step in and stop it."

[Executive engineer for Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority Charles] Thomas said SSCAFCA has about $400,000 in bonds and is looking for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The complete project, including paving and curb and gutter, could cost $2 million. A project that doesn’t include as many roadway improvements would cost $1.2 million, he said.